Posts: 24
Threads: 6
Joined: Dec 2012
Reputation:
0
Raphael Pinthus Wrote:It's slowly dawning on me that Robert Conley's "Blackmarsh" might have been the best thing we might get, with regards to Blackmoor simulacra. I'd rather see that one expanded a bit, to be honest, than have a couple of people with no prior relation to the brand have a go at it. With C. A. Suleiman and Jeff Quinn, of course, it would a different matter, but as things are, their participation has not been confirmed.
Got myself a copy of "Blackmarsh" over the weekend and read through it. It's surprisingly good. Thanks for mentioning it. There should be more supplements like this. Just enough information to make things interesting and not so much that you feel bogged down, or like your running it "wrong" if you make changes.
Moderator edit: Split from viewtopic.php?f=22&t=8364
Posts: 7,727
Threads: 1,663
Joined: Nov 2009
Reputation:
9
Thondor Wrote:Raphael Pinthus Wrote:It's slowly dawning on me that Robert Conley's "Blackmarsh" might have been the best thing we might get, with regards to Blackmoor simulacra. I'd rather see that one expanded a bit, to be honest, than have a couple of people with no prior relation to the brand have a go at it. With C. A. Suleiman and Jeff Quinn, of course, it would a different matter, but as things are, their participation has not been confirmed.
Got myself a copy of "Blackmarsh" over the weekend and read through it. It's surprisingly good. Thanks for mentioning it. There should be more supplements like this. Just enough information to make things interesting and not so much that you feel bogged down, or like your running it "wrong" if you make changes.
Hey Thondor!
Welcome to The Comeback Inn! If you have the time, feel free to introduce yourself to the rest of the bunch in the Hello Thread.
Great seeing another fan of Blackmarsh. The author, Robert S Conley is also a member here so maybe we could lure him back if there was enough interest to talk more about it. What are your favorite aspects of Blackmarsh?
-Havard
Currently Running: The Blackmoor Vales Saga
Currently Playing: Daniel S. Debelfry in the Throne of Star's Campaign
Posts: 6,209
Threads: 454
Joined: Nov 2009
Reputation:
8
Thondor Wrote:Raphael Pinthus Wrote:It's slowly dawning on me that Robert Conley's "Blackmarsh" might have been the best thing we might get, with regards to Blackmoor simulacra. I'd rather see that one expanded a bit, to be honest, than have a couple of people with no prior relation to the brand have a go at it. With C. A. Suleiman and Jeff Quinn, of course, it would a different matter, but as things are, their participation has not been confirmed.
Got myself a copy of "Blackmarsh" over the weekend and read through it. It's surprisingly good. Thanks for mentioning it. There should be more supplements like this. Just enough information to make things interesting and not so much that you feel bogged down, or like your running it "wrong" if you make changes.
Hehe, thanks, man, always welcome. That's what we're here for, after all.
I *think* I wrote a short review on "Blackmarsh" somewhere - and I remember I was less than thrilled:
For my taste, it was too close to the original to develop its own dynamics; as in, why use it, as long as the original was available? - But now, with BM stuck in copyright hell, and its future more shakey than ever, Blackmarsh becomes substantially more valuable, precisely because Conley delivered very solid, if a bit unoriginal in his book: It's out there, it's well done, and it's prized more than fairly.
Let's put it like this: I could see myself running a Blackmarsh game before I saw myself running any other retroclone or "nostalgia-based" product, and that includes a whole list of pretty good titles that I am very aware of. 
Posts: 24
Threads: 6
Joined: Dec 2012
Reputation:
0
The main thing is that it keeps things simple. It feels like there is enough there to easily riff off of. But not so much that you'd feel straight-jacketed in any way.
Viz is also a neat concept that injects a bit of wonder into things -- while simultaneously providing an explanation for why there might be a high number of adventurer types (and factions that could oppose them) wandering around Blackmarsh.
For those who haven't read Blackmarsh, "viz" solidified magical energy. It can be expended to keep a spellcaster from "losing a spell from memory." The original source was a "mountain that fell" (a meteor we can assume) which formed the inland sea that Blacmarsh borders.
Reminds me a little bit of sipstrassi stones from David Gemmell's books. Of course here "viz" can take any form.
Posts: 2,194
Threads: 130
Joined: Oct 2012
Reputation:
3
I can't plainly say that I play Blackmarsh, but I steal quite a bit from it. 
He's a real Nowhere man, sitting in his Nowhere land,
making all his Nowhere plans for Nobody.
Posts: 2,194
Threads: 130
Joined: Oct 2012
Reputation:
3
The more time passes, the more I steal from Blackmarsh! Thank you Robert Conley! :mrgreen:
He's a real Nowhere man, sitting in his Nowhere land,
making all his Nowhere plans for Nobody.
Posts: 21
Threads: 3
Joined: Aug 2019
Reputation:
0
Thondor Wrote:Raphael Pinthus Wrote:It's slowly dawning on me that Robert Conley's "Blackmarsh" might have been the best thing we might get, with regards to Blackmoor simulacra. I'd rather see that one expanded a bit, to be honest, than have a couple of people with no prior relation to the brand have a go at it. With C. A. Suleiman and Jeff Quinn, of course, it would a different matter, but as things are, their participation has not been confirmed.
Got myself a copy of "Blackmarsh" over the weekend and read through it. It's surprisingly good. Thanks for mentioning it. There should be more supplements like this. Just enough information to make things interesting and not so much that you feel bogged down, or like your running it "wrong" if you make changes.
Moderator edit: Split from http://blackmoor.mystara.net/forums/vie ... =22&t=8364 I used it very briefly. I had a group with characters from Sigil landing in Blackmarsh as a part of a escort mission. It was a way for me to introduce a more back-to-baasic environment than the urban inter-plannar Sigil campaign I ran at the time. The players did some hexcrawling, some mini-scenarios in the town and even ran into a random generated dungeon in the wilderness. Though the group split up and the remaining player was not interested in continuing exploring the setting sadly. It is a great product.
Posts: 10
Threads: 2
Joined: May 2011
Reputation:
0
Sorry I didn't see this thread earlier. Glad people are having fun with Blackmarsh.
The next project I am working is the Wild North (from Fight On #3) adapted for Blackmarsh. It will adjoin Blackmarsh to the north as shown below
Expanded Blackmarsh map
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FGeUSPgGE_k/W...ev%2B1.jpg
Posts: 7,727
Threads: 1,663
Joined: Nov 2009
Reputation:
9
robertsconley Wrote:Sorry I didn't see this thread earlier. Glad people are having fun with Blackmarsh.
The next project I am working is the Wild North (from Fight On #3) adapted for Blackmarsh. It will adjoin Blackmarsh to the north as shown below
Expanded Blackmarsh map
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FGeUSPgGE_k/W...ev%2B1.jpg
Very cool Rob!
I love this expanded map.
Just in time for Blackmoor Week 2019 as well?
-Havard
Currently Running: The Blackmoor Vales Saga
Currently Playing: Daniel S. Debelfry in the Throne of Star's Campaign
Posts: 21
Threads: 3
Joined: Aug 2019
Reputation:
0
robertsconley Wrote:Sorry I didn't see this thread earlier. Glad people are having fun with Blackmarsh.
The next project I am working is the Wild North (from Fight On #3) adapted for Blackmarsh. It will adjoin Blackmarsh to the north as shown below
Expanded Blackmarsh map
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FGeUSPgGE_k/W...ev%2B1.jpg Cool. A bit weird though as a Swede to see names like Trollhättan, Umeå, Solna etc. Mystara did that as well(Alphatian capitol of Sundsvall comes to mind). These are all very mundane places to me. :lol:
|
